


Asmodeus and the Owl

by inkjunket



Category: Jewish Legend & Lore
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Demons, Gen, Owls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-13
Updated: 2014-03-13
Packaged: 2018-01-15 14:33:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1308352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkjunket/pseuds/inkjunket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An owl appeared in his window, took up perch, and gave a low hoot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Asmodeus and the Owl

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zdenka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zdenka/gifts).



> Based in the world of the story "The Magic Flute of Asmodeus," from the book _Elijah's Violin and Other Jewish Fairy Tales_.

The demon Asmodeus fell into bed, exhausted. Another long night out at the call of the magic flute, entertaining humans. 

An owl appeared in his window, took up perch, and gave a low hoot. 

Asmodeus dragged himself back out of bed and found a scrap of meat left on his dinner plate, which he threw to the owl. She caught it neatly in her beak and swallowed it whole. 

“What news of the kingdom?” Asmodeus asked her.

“Quiet while all you demons were called away,” she said. “Everyone’s headed to bed now, like you.” 

“Please thank your winged brethren for keeping watch,” Asmodeus said. 

“It is our duty,” she replied. “Were we not the ones who told the shepherd of the powers of the flute?” 

Asmodeus sighed, and settled back into his bed. “It is in the nature of birds to be gregarious. It was my fault for boasting I could understand the language of birds, and translated for him.” 

She tilted her head in the owl form of assent, and turned as if to go, then paused. “If I may,” she said.

Asmodeus gestured for her to continue. 

“Do you ever regret it?” she asked. “Telling the shepherd what we birds advised, what treasures to ask for in return for having saved your life?” 

Asmodeus thought. “If I were the only one called by the flute, then I would call it a fair exchange. But to have my people summoned night after night, at the behest of the shepherd’s son? It is not what any prince would wish for his kingdom.” 

“That is as I thought,” the owl said, and stretched out a talon to tap something on the window ledge. “While you demons were away, we birds called a caucus. And since there was no king present to convene the caucus, I was chosen as acting king of the demon lands.”

Asmodeus sat up. It would not do, to have the birds claiming dominion in their absence. The birds were by far the smartest, to think of it first, but soon the otters would too, and there would be war the next time they were summoned away. 

The owl tutted and rustled her feathers. “Do not look so disturbed, my lord. I ceded my claim to the rightful king upon his return, of course. But I made one decision during my reign. The shepherd’s boy has unending riches, his plate is never empty, he can never be harmed, and he has won the love of a princess. Your debt has been repaid. As king, I declared it is so.” And then she reached onto the ledge and pulled out, with two talons, the magic flute, and flung it at Asmodeus as casually as he had tossed her the meat. Automatically, his hand reached out to catch it. 

“Now we birds will go back to our trees and will not suggest to stray shepherds what treasures they might seek here. Our debt has been repaid as well.” And she flew off into the night. 

Asmodeus slipped the flute under his pillow and slept for the first night through in many years, with a smile on his lips.

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=k1fd75)  



End file.
